Diane L. Moore

Dr. Diane L. Moore serves as Associate Dean for Religion and Public Life at Harvard Divinity School and founding Director of the Religious Literacy Project, where she has transformed the public understanding of religion through innovative educational initiatives. Her distinguished career combines academic scholarship with practical application, holding degrees including a PhD from Union Theological Seminary and serving as an ordained minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Her groundbreaking work includes leading the Religious Literacy and Humanitarian Action Research Project with Oxfam, creating popular MOOCs on world religions through HarvardX, and chairing the American Academy of Religion's Task Force on Religion in the Schools. Her influence extends to policy through her service on the U.S. State Department's Office of Religion and Global Affairs task force and her 2021 appointment to the Vatican's University of Meaning project. Her book "Overcoming Religious Illiteracy" (2007) has become a cornerstone text in religious education, while her leadership in establishing guidelines for teaching religion in K-12 schools and higher education has shaped religious literacy education nationwide. Her excellence in teaching has been recognized through multiple awards, including the Petra Shattuck Excellence in Teaching Award and selection as HDS Outstanding Teacher of the Year